Mark Pope or Josh Schertz next season?
- Thread starter jwildcattrester
- Start date
Hiring Josh Schertz is the most IU thing UK could do.
To some of these folks, there isn’t more to life than UK basketball. The team being textbook mediocre is a personal insult to them and they won’t stand for it.
No one is happy right now. Not a soul. But some of us are more realistic to know we’re not going to fire our coach over one subpar season, and despite all the idiotic revisionist history, last year was considered a success based on all the extenuating circumstances leading up to the season. (Fans went from we won’t make the tournament in October 2024 to 3 seed wasn’t enough in December 2025).
Oh man! I guess we can cross Tommy Lloyd and TJ Otzelberger off the list. TJ wouldn't have made it to year 3 with some of yall. Sweet 16 first yr and lost in first round yr 2 (19-14). Same tournament success for Lloyd. Never been past.the sweet 16 but does great in the regular season
I want Mark Pope back next season. It’s not a good look for the University to fire an alum after 2 seasons. It’s impossible to fire him if we win 2 games in the NCAA tournament.
Pope is a smart guy and I believe he will learn some tough lessons from this season and be better for it. We couldn’t find a coach that cares more about Kentucky basketball.
I also believe we were a year late with Stoops and should have hired Sumrall a season ago. It’s going to be especially regretful when he starts tearing up this conference at Florida.
I believe the same thing about Josh Schertz but you can never know.
Pope is a smart guy and I believe he will learn some tough lessons from this season and be better for it. We couldn’t find a coach that cares more about Kentucky basketball.
I also believe we were a year late with Stoops and should have hired Sumrall a season ago. It’s going to be especially regretful when he starts tearing up this conference at Florida.
I believe the same thing about Josh Schertz but you can never know.
Pope will get another year, and he deserves a chance to show everybody that he can right the ship. This Schertz guy may ultimately be a good coach but the last time we Jumped at taking a "one hit wonder" type coach we ended up with Billy Clyde. How did that work out?
I remember that vividly. Same people saying we will miss the tournament today even though we could beat SCAR and not win another game all year and still easily be in
WE ARRR KENTUCKY
Let’s harrr 1996 Pitino
an’ he can harrr Golden, Oats and Pearl as his uhsistunts
If he does slightly better than this year and makes the tournament, it’s hard to believe he’ll be let go unless he wants to leave. Barnhart and his hand-picked successor will show that as proof that things are improving.
I don't think a no doubter really exists. Every coach is at least somewhat of a risk. And if they aren't, then they are probably already somewhere where they can win and are payed well to do so.
As little accomplishments that Shertz has had, he looks like John Wooden compared to Pope.
Schertz has been an immediate winner at every stop. Not denying would be a massive gamble tho. He hasn’t done it at the highest level. Huge risk.
Was the Pope hire a “no hit wonder”? That’s a guy who hadn’t done much and consistently loses 12 games a year for over a decade.
I like the guy and hope he lands Stokes or some stud portal players to put this year behind us, but I just can’t be optimistic right now.
You win the internet today
Brother, I’m trying hard to do so. We need to laugh through the pain hahaDamn got my hardlaugh for this day, thanks Village
I told my wife, I thought I was a crazy fkn Kentucky fan, until I found RR. And I mean every word of it.
I never put basketball above fishing
I get a good hard laugh in here every day from some one. And tell them thanks, I loved Jim Valvano, and always try to get that hard laugh. I usually get it talking to myself while fishing
Just not too loud or you won’t get a biteI get a good hard laugh in here every day from some one. And tell them thanks, I loved Jim Valvano, and always try to get that hard laugh. I usually get it talking to myself while fishing
Schertz has fewer credentials for the job than Pope did.
Right. If we're moving on, lets not roll the dice again. Golden, May, or Tommy Lloyd.
Really that's why it was so crucial we hire Pearl last cycle. He was a short timer but would've been fine/good while also giving younger prospects a chance to develop and emerge. Now we know the targets.
Shertz has never even beaten a Division 1 ranked team dude. Stop and think before you post.
D1 or not. He has proven at a level of coaching in college that he can succeed with the tools given to him. Now show me Popes Championships and accolades. I’m pretty sure Todd Golden didn’t have any either before Florida.
| Awards |
|---|
| 5 SAC tournament (2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020) 9 SAC regular season (2011, 2013–2018, 2020, 2021) MVC regular season (2024) |
| Hugh Durham Award (2024) Clarence Gaines Award (2016) 7× SAC Coach of the Year (2011, 2014–2018, 2020) MVC Coach of the Year (2024) |
Here is an interesting piece on Schertz:
circuitofsuccess.com
He's had some rough years, but many very successful seasons ... 78.1% win percentage:
en.wikipedia.org
Schertz employs the philosophy of Kaizen:
en.wikipedia.org
From Homeless Teen to Head Coach with Coach Josh Schertz - Circuit of Success
Coach Josh Schertz went from a homeless high school dropout [...]
circuitofsuccess.com
Josh Schertz - Wikipedia
Kaizen - Wikipedia
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I know we currently sit at 9th place in the SEC out of 16 teams. How embarrassing is that.... If Pope loved the University like he says he does he'd step down at the end of the year... We have nothing coming in next year, the SEC is no where as strong as it was a year ago, and we're UK what the hell are we doing floating just below half of the SEC.....
It would be interesting to know if we still are the biggest conference home game for SEC opponents. Are we still "everybody's Super Bowl" ????
Really? Look a his track record. His teams get better every year. All of the great coaches have to prove themselves at places like St Louis, before they get their chance on the big stage.
Dusty may at FAU. Lloyd as an assistant at Gonzaga. Self at Oral Roberts and Tulsa.
With the resources here, and his ability to to actually coach, Shertz would be a safe gamble in my opinion.
Probably. However, if his team lose out and miss the tournament, and he can’t any talent, I’m not so sure he’s back.
A safe gamble is still a gamble.
He at best would be a backup plan to the backup
He checks very few boxes at the present time..
Yeah...I'm not really sure that's true. I'm not arguing for Schertz mind you. I just don't think what you posted is true. If nothing else, Schertz at least won a regular season conference title.
Accomplishments are important when selecting a head coach but other factors should go into it. Can you sell, do you have a personality that makes people want to play for you, are you alpha when it comes to winning? Todd Golden comes to mind, didn’t do much before Florida. Was he a risk for them? Yea, but you can just tell by there personality. I personally don’t get that from Pope, never have. He is corny, talks in circles using huge words, and his players seem to just tune him out. He doesn’t demand respect and execution.
I guess it's in the eye of the beholder but I would take two 2nd place finishes in the WCC and 5th place in the B12 in a year when it was the best conference in the sport over winning the MVC. Plus, for me, the personal connection to the university counts for something, if only because Pope is more familiar for the madhouse that is UK basketball than a coach who cut his teeth at D2.
No way should Kentucky hire a coach from a small school with no tournament history. This guy is doing good at Indiana St and St. Louis, but how much of it is his scheduling and playing in weak conferences? Tell me one big game his teams have won
Yeah, I think the "one of ours" thing is ridiculously overrated. If you're a college basketball coach, you know what you're getting yourself in to.
No disagreement from me. The hope is a guy like him materializes in the next couple of years, when the UK position more than likely will be open.
